Harvesting-machine.



PATENTED NOV. 24, 1903.

I. Hi BRAMMER. HARVESTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, 1903.

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No. 745,035. PATENTED NOV. 24, 1903.

J. H. BRAMMER. HARVESTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, 1903.

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PATENTBD NOV. 24, 1903. J. H. BRAMMER. HARVESTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, 1 903.

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PATENTED NOV. 24, 1903.

J. H. BRAMMBR. HARVESTING MACHINE.

PPLIOATIION FILED MAY 6, 1903 INVENTOH m M m BY A TTOHNE rs.

UNITED STATES Patented November 24, 1903;

JAMES H. BRAMMER, OF HUNTERS, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, GEORGE H. STARKE, AND SOREN P. HAY, OF ED WALL, WASHINGTON.

HARVESTING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 745,035, dated November 24, 1903.

Application filed May 6. 1903. Ser al No. 155,835. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES H. BRAMMER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Hunters, in the county of Stevens and State of \Vashington, have invented a new and Improved l-larvesting-lvlachine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in harvesting-machines, and especially to the combination of a header with a vehicle the body of which is adapted to receive the harvested heads of the grain.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a convenient and economic means whereby to connect the cutter-bar, sickle, conveyer, and reel with the side of a vehicle and to employ an elevator in connection with the conveyer, which elevator will enter a guarded opening in the vehicle-box at one side of a point about centrally between the ends of the vehicle, the upper terminal of the elevator being below the upper edge of the vehicle-box, thus preventing loss of material by the wind or through irregular driving as the material is delivered into the vehicle-box.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth,

and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is aplan view ofthe machine. Fig. 2 is a sectional front elevation, the section being taken substantially on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. dis a sectional plan view of a portion of the conveyer and sickle-bar and the elevator which takes the material from the conveyor; and Fig. 5 is a sectional rear elevation, the section being taken practically on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4 looking in direction 5 of the arrow.

Arepresents the body of a vehicle-a farm- 'wagon, for example-which wagon-body is mounted upon a suitable running-gear B, and

at the right-hand side of the said vehiclebody at more or less of a central point an opening 10 is made, extending from the bottom or bed of the body upward a predetermined distance, and in the bottom or bed of the body a connecting-opening l0" is also produced, as is shown in Fig. 2. These openings 10 and 10 are surrounded by a h0using 11, formed within the body of the vehicle, the upper portion of which housing is preferably inclined downward and inward from the right-hand side of the said vehicle-body, as is also best shown in Fig. 2. The forward axle of the running-gear B is provided with the usual front wheels 12, and the rear axle is provided with two larger wheels 13 and 14:, the right-hand wheel 14: being the driving wheel, and to that end is provided with a much wider tire than the opposing wheel 13. The tire of the wheel 14 has ribs 15 produced thereon, so that the said wheel 14 will take firm hold of the surface over which the vehicle may be driven.

Between the driving-wheel let and the right hand side of the vehicle-body A a large driving sprocket-wheel 16 is secured to the hub of the said driving-wheel, and at the opposite or outer side face of the hub of the same wheel a smaller sprocket-wheel 17 is secured in any suitable or approved manner. The running-gear is provided with a tongue or pole 18, and at the front upper portion of the body A of the vehicle the usual drivers seat 19 is located. As is shown in Figs. 1 and 3, at the right-hand side of this drivers seat a shaft 20 is mounted to turn in bearings 21 and 22, which shaft is provided with a crank 23 at its upper end or a hand-wheel within convenient reach from the drivers seat, and

on the said shaft '20 above the upper bearing 2i a ratchet-wheel 24 is secured, adapted to be engaged by a pawl 25 so as to prevent the said shaft 20 from being accidentally turned or slipping when adjusted.

At the forward right-hand corner of the vehicle-body A near its upper end a bracket 25 is secured, bifurcated at its front portion, and between the members of this bracket 25 a guide-pulley 26 is mounted to turn. At the upper portion of the said vehicle-body A at or near its top between its front and the center a second guide-pulley 28 is mounted to turn in asuitable bracket- 27, as is shown also in Figs. 1 and 3.

An elevator O is carried upward from the right-hand side of the vehicle-body A through the openings and 10 therein, as is best shown in Fig. 2, being supported upon the inner longitudinal portion of the housing 11, as is shown in the same figure. This elevator 0 consists of side pieces 29, an upper endless compressing-belt 30, and a lower elevating-belt 31, the latterbelt being provided with suitable transverse strips 32, pins or their equivalents extending from its outer faces. The upper ends of the belts and 31 are made to pass over suitable rollers or drums 33 and 34, properly journaled in the side sections 29 of the said elevator O at or near the upper ends of the said side sections, as is also shown in Fig. 2. The lower end of the upper or compressing belt 30 is passed over a lower drum 35, while the corresponding portion of the lower or elevating belt 31 is passed over a drum 36, both of the drums 35 and 36 being suitablyjournaled between the side sections 29 of the elevator at its lower portion, as is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

A gear 37 is secured to the forward trunnion of the lower drum 35 forthe upper or compressing endless belt 30 of the elevator O, and this gear 37 is in mesh with a gear 38, large or small, as may be desired. This gear 38 is secured upon the forward end of a shaft 38 (shown best in Fig. 4,) the support of which is to be hereinafter described. This shaft 38 passes through a drum 39, (shown in Fig. 4,) the drum being attached to the 'said shaft, and this drum 39 serves to partially support an endless conveyer-belt D, the said shaft 38' being journaled in a platformframe D for the cutter and sickle bars of the machine. The frame D extends some distance to the rear of the inner end of the conveyer D, as is also shown in Fig. 4, and the said conveyer, which runs longitudinally of the said frame between the side members, is prevented from rising upward by upper guides 40. At the outer end of this frame D the usual shoe 41 is located, as is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3.

The forward portion of the conveyer-belt D is supportedby a suitable drum 42, (shown in Fig. 3,) properly journaled at the outer end of said platform-frame D, carrying the cutter and the sickle bars, and the lower end of the elevator C is suitably journaled orpivoted, preferably, upon the said driving-shaft 38 for the conveyer. As this shaft 38 revolves through the medium of the said gear 38 it communicates motion to the upper endless compressing-belt 30, as is clearly indicated in Fig. 2, and this shaft 38 is provided at its rear end with a sprocket-wheel 38 and this sprocketwheel 38 is connected by a chain 38 with a small sprocket-wheel 38, (shown in Fig. 5,) which latter sprocket-wheel 38 is attached to the rear trunnion of the lower drum or roller 36 for the lower or elevating belt 31 of the elevator 0. Under this construction it willbe observed that both of the endless belts of the elevator O are driven from the shaft 38.

At the inner end of the platform-frame D a beam 42 is secured, which crosses the bottom portion of the platform-frame and extends forwardly therefrom, but a greater distance rearwardly from the said platform'- frame, and the rear end of the said supporting-beam 42 for the inner end of the plat form-frame Dis provided with a connected sleeve 43, loosely mounted upon the rear axle between the main driving sprocket-wheel l6 and the right-hand side of the wagon-body, as is particularly shown in Fig.v 1, so that the inner portion of the said platform-frame D is pivotally supported. A further support is provided for the said platform-frame D, consisting of a beam 44, suitably attached to the bottom portion of the said platform-frame D at a point usually between its center and its outer end. 44 extends rearwardly and is provided with a collar or sleeve 45, which is loosely mounted upon the outer right-hand end portion of the rear axle, as is also shown in Fig. 1.

The extreme outer end of the platformframe D is supported by two parallel beams 47 and 48, suitably secured to the bottom portion of the said platform-frame, and these beams extend rearwardlya suitable distance and have journaled between them a supporting-wheel 49. The outer rearwardly-extending end beam 4'7 has a brace 47 secured thereto, extending upwardly in direction of the conveyer, for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The platform-frame D, carrying the conveyer D, is provided with the ordinary cutter-bar-carrying fingers 5i and a sickle-bar 50, which has movement through the said fingersin the usual manner. The sickle-baratits inner end is provided with a pitman 52, which pitman is pivotally connected with a wristpin 53 on the gear 38, which is attached to the shaft 38, which operates not only on the conveyer D, but likewise the elevator-belts and the sickle-bar. The driving medium for this shaft 38 will be hereinafter particularly set forth.

At the rear portion of the platform-frame D a bracket 55 is secured, and a corresponding bracket 55 is located upon the rear wardlyextending portion of the beam 42, asis shown in Figs. 4 and 5. In these brackets or bearings 55 and 55 a shaft 54 is mounted to revolve. This shaft 54 has a sprocket-wheel 56 secured thereon, and this sprocket-wheel is connected by a chain 57 with the main or driving sprocket-wheel 16 on the right-hand rear axle, as is particularly shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The shaft 54 has likewise a bevelgear 58 attached to it, and this bevel-gear 58 meshes with a similar gear 59, located at the rear end of the shaft 38, which carries the inner drum 39 for the conveyer D. In this manner the shaft 38 is driven from the shaft 54, which may be termed a drive-shaft.

This auxiliary supporting-beam ICC At or near each end of the platform-frame D, at the rear of said frame, standards 60 are secured in any suitable or approved manher, and at the rear of the said platformframe D, just above the upper rear surface of saidframe, a base-board 61 is located, extending from one standard 60 to the other. These standards 60 are connected at their upper ends by a corresponding board 62. Each standard 60 is provided with a forwardly-extending horizontal arm '63, which arms, as shown in Fig. 3, are preferably integral portions of the standards 60, and at the forward end of,'each horizon tal extension-arm 63 from a standard a bearing 6 is formed, and in these bearings the shaft of a reel E is mounted to freely turn. The projecting arms 63 from the standards 60 are usually strengthened by braces 66. (Shown in Figs. 2 and 3.)

On the reel-shaft 65 a sprocket-wheel 67 is secured at the inner end portion of said reelshaft, and this sprocket-wheel 67 is connected by a belt 68, preferably a chain belt, with the sprocket-wheel 17 at the outer end portion of the right-hand rear axle of the vehicle, as is illustrated-in Figs. 1 and 3. The brace 47, extending upward from the rearwardly-extending outer beam 47 from the platformframe D, is connected at its upper portion with the upper end of the outer or right-hand standard 60, as is shown in Fig. 3, and any suitable or equivalent support may be provided for the inner or left-hand standard 60, if so desired.

Under the construction described it will be observed that a header is attached to a vehicle-body in a manner which permits the forward longitudinal portion of the header to be adjusted as may he demanded by the height of the grain to be headed, as the said platform-frame D is pivotally supported by the right-hand rear axle of the vehicle. This adjustment is accomplished through the operation of the shaft 20 at the front portion of the vehicle within convenient reach of the drivers seat 19, as has been specified. The meansbywhichsuchan adjustmentisbrought about consists of a rope, chain, or cable 69, attached to the said shaft 20 in anysuitable or approved manner, which rope, chain, or cable 69 is passed over the guide-pulley 26 at the right-hand front portion of the vehicle and thence over and downward from the guide-pulley 28 at the upper right-hand end portion of the vehicle-body, the lower end of the said rope, chain, or cable 69 being attached to the rear end of a lever 70, which at its forward end is pivoted upon the bottom portion of the vehicle-body A at a point near the front, and a link 71 is attached to this lever between its ends and tothe forwardly-extending portionof the inner supporting-beams 42 for the said platform-frame D, as is shown particularly in Fig. 3.

In the operation of the machine it will be observed that after the platform-frame D,

carrying the sickle-bar, has been adjusted as required by the character of the grain and as the machine is advanced the heads of the grain are fed to the sickle-bar by the reel E and are severed by the action of the knives of the sickle-bar in the usual way, the heads then falling on the conveyer D. The heads thus falling are prevented from possibly passing over at the rear of the conveyer by locating a net F at the rear of the conveyer, attached to the standards 60 and to the upper and lower bars 61 and 62, secured to the said standards, as is illustrated in Fig. 2. The heads of the grain received by the conveyor D are carried to the elevator-belt 31, being held down thereon by the upper or compressing belt 30 and being protected by the upper belt 30 from the action of the wind. The conveyer-belt 31 carries the said heads up into the vehicle-body A, depositing them therein, and as they are so deposited as the delivery end of the elevator is below the plane of the upper edge of the vehicle-body the wind will have no effect whatever upon the delivered material, so that there will be comparatively no waste.

The entire machine is exceedingly simple, durable, and economic in its construction, and it can be operated by two personsnamely, a driver and a person in the wagonbody,whose duty will be principally to level the material delivered to the said body.

I desire it to be understood that any form of cover may be provided for the upper pore.

tion of the housing 11, or that portion which is above the elevator-frame.

The header being attached to the vehicle body travels therewith to the stack,and therefore the grain in the field should be so cut that the machine will be at or near a stack when the vehicle-body has received a proper load, the grain to be unloaded preferably with derrick and nets; but any other means may be employed.

I desire it to be understood that the elevator C is provided at the upper portion of the frame with inwardly-extending shields 5.9, which shields extend loosely over the upper stretch of the upper compressing-belt 30 of the elevator, as shown in Fig. 1.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. A vehicle-body having an opening in its side and its bottom, a housing around the said opening and a headersupported from the vehicle-body and provided with an elevator extending within the vehicle-body at the housed nected at its inner rear portion with the rear axle of the vehicle frame and wheel supported at its outer rear end, means for vertically adjusting the forward portion of the header, the said header comprising a platform-frame, a sickle-bar mounted upon the frame, a conveyer likewise carried by the frame at the rear of the sickle-bar, an elevator connected with the conveyor and extending up within the vehicle-body, and a driving mechanism, substantially as described, for the conveyer and'elevator, operated from the axle of the vehicle-body, as set forth.

4. In a header, a vehicle-body having an. opening in its side and its bottom, a housing around the said opening, a platform-frame pivotally supported on the rear axle of the vehicle-body, means carried by the vehiclebody for raising and lowering the forward end of the frame, a sickle-bar mounted on the said platform-frame, a conveyer at the rear of the said sickle-bar likewise carried by the platform-frame, an elevator connected with the conveyer and arranged to receive material therefrom, the said elevator having its upper end extending within the said vehiclebody at the housed portion thereof and terminating ata point lower than the upper edge of the body, and a driving mechanism for the elevator and the conveyer, operated from an axle of the vehicle-body, as set forth.

5. A header consisting of a vehicle-body, a wheel-supported platform-frame, a pivotal connection between the platform-frame and the rear axle of the vehicle-body, a sickle-bar mounted to slide on the platform-frame, a con- 1 veyer at the rear of the said sickle-bar and also mounted on the platform-frame, a net at the rear of the conveyer, a reel mounted to revolve over the conveyer, an elevator c011 necting at its lower end with the conveyer, the upper end of the elevator extending within the vehicle-body, and a driving connection between the reel, the conveyer and the elevator and an axle of the vehicle-body, as set forth.

6. A header consisting of a vehicle-body, a wheel-supported platform -frame, a pivotal connection between the platform-frame and the rear axle of the vehicle-body, a sickle-bar mounted to slide on the platform-fram e, acouveyer at the rear of the said sickle-bar, also mounted on the platform-frame, a net at the rear of the conveyer, a reel mounted to revolve over the conveyer, an elevator connecting at its lower end with the conveyer, the upper end of the elevator extending within the vehiclebody, a driving connection between the reel, the conveyer and the elevator and an axle of the vehicle-body, an adjusting device carried by the vehicle-body, a connection between the said adjusting device and the forward portion of the platform-frame, and a housing within the vehicle-body around that portion of the elevator which extends within the vehicle-body, the upper end of the elevator being at a point below the upper edge of the vehicle-body, as set forth.

7. In headers, the combination with a vehicle-body having an opening in its side and its bottom, ahousing around the said opening, a header attachment located at one side of the said body and supported mainly by the rear axle of the vehicle-body, a wheel-support for the outer end of the header attachmen t,which header attachment consists of a platformframe, a conveyer mounted on the frame, a guard at the rear of the conveyer, a reel located over the conveyer, a sickle-bar mounted to slide on the platform-frame in front of the conveyer, and an elevator extending within the vehicle-body at the housed portion thereof, the lower end of the said elevator being in communication with the inner end of the conveyer, which elevator consists of a frame, an endless lower elevating-belt and an upper endless compressing-belt, and a driving connection between one of the axles of the vehicle-body and the reel, the conveyer the frame at the rear of the sickle-bar, and

an elevator connected with the conveyer and extending up within the vehicle-body, the said elevator having an endless lower elevating-belt and an upper endless compressingbelt, as set forth.

9. The combination with a vehicle-body having an opening in its side and its bottom, of a header pivotally connected with the rear axle of the vehicle-body at opposite sides of one of the rear wheels, the said header comprising a platform-frame, a cutter-bar and sickle-bar carried by the frame, a conveyer carried by the frame, an elevator connected with the conveyer and extending up ward through the opening in the vehicle-body, means for vertically adjusting the forward portion of the header, and a driving mechanism for the conveyer and elevator operated from the rear axle of the vehicle, substan tially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES H. BRAMMER.

Witnesses:

M. O. PETLEER, L. T. TATRO. 

